Observing the situation in the power industry it is easy to see that
there are very deep changes in it. They rely primarily on moving away
from conventional energy to renewable energy. This is particularly the
case for energy in the European Union. Europe strives to be a forerunner
in renewable technologies and a leader in the fight against global
warming. The mining industry is being abolished and coal-fired power
stations are being displaced by renewable energy sources. This situation
is not only a result of EU directives but also of grassroots social
initiatives inspired by environmental groups. The new lignite openings
are being blocked, due to the lack of public acceptance, and the
construction of conventional power plants. They do not help economic
arguments for the development of energy based on coal, lignite, fuel
that is significantly cheaper than the other, or to provide potential
investors with the creation of new jobs. Also, coal investments are
suspended in other regions of the world. CoalSwarm coal research shows
that 2016 saw a dramatic fall in the amount of coal investment in the
world. Even in China and India, where most of the coal industry has
developed in recent years, about 100 investments have been suspended.
The situation in the US is unclear. Although Barack Obama signed the
Paris Agreement, current United States President Donal Trump has spoken
out about this agreement and in numerous speeches and is eager to return
to the dominant role of coal in the American economy. Poland still
maintains the carbon structure of the power industry, but the Minister
of Energy has announced that the new block at the Ostrołęka power plant
will be the last coal-fired power plant to be built in Poland. This
statement allows us to believe that there may be a return to Poland’s
energy policy in the nearest future, and the long-awaited document,
Poland’s energy policy until 2050, will determine the direction of
change for the coming years.